Political Mutiny in the New York Police Department. Does DeBlasio Order Officers to Turn in their Badges?

Dr. Marsha Coleman-Adebayo, BAR editor and columnist

25 Dec 2014

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Political Mutiny in the New York Police Department. Does DeBlasio Order Officers to Turn in their Badges?

By Dr. Marsha Coleman-Adebayo, BAR editor and columnist

"The movement to expose police crimes against black and brown civilian populations in the US has forged a wedge between power centers that have the potential to be explosive and politically significant..."

In light of the killing of two New York police officers, NYDP police officers literally turned their backs on Mayor de Blasio Saturday night. Armed law enforcement employees, either in urban battlefields or imperial outpost war theaters are under discipline to respect and protect superiors in their chain of command. The defiant action led by Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association (PBA) president Patrick Lynch sent an undeniable message to Mayor de Blasio that he could no longer depend on the unconditional commitment of the officers to protect him or his family.

Mayor de Blasio remarked to a group of police officers at the Brooklyn Hospital, “We’re all in this together.” The officers responded, “No we’re not.” This declaration indicates that there are no rules beyond their incestuous protections of the PBA and their rogue sense of entitlement. In the military, the commanding officer would have sent them to the Brig immediately. Certainly, there are different rules of engagement between militarized police departments and the actual military but the message cannot be lost on those who depend upon police forces to provide personal protection. de Blasio, may wish he had the flexibility to discipline officers in his militarized police force as the armed forces enjoy. “It’s f–king open season on us right now,” one officer said. “When is he (deBlasio) going to step up?” These statements reflect open contempt for the office of the mayor and the people of New York. Since 1670, slave patrollers and their contemporaries, police officers have enjoyed open season and distained their duty to protect and serve Black people. For example, President Harry Truman fired highly decorated General Douglas Mac Arthur for insubordination.

The movement to expose police crimes against black and brown civilian populations in the US has forged a wedge between power centers that have the potential to be explosive and politically significant. Police, who are accustomed to unconditional power to murder and maim Black and Brown youth with immunity are now facing challenges to white supremacist prerogatives and the language is vitriolic. PBA president Patrick Lynch belched: “There’s blood on many hands tonight… That blood . . . starts on the steps of City Hall, in the Office of the Mayor,”

The powerful PBA had the gall to warn their superiors, the NY Mayor and Speaker, to stay away from the funerals of the fallen police officers. Wouldn’t it be prudent for the governor given: 1). The history of violence by the NYPD; 2) the statement and display of insubordination and 3). The PBA warning to the mayor and speaker to stay away from the funerals to call out the national guard to protect the Mayor and Speaker from their own police department. This would set the precedent for calling out the National Guard to protect innocence from the police department.

"...political spokesmen ranging from the president, Attorney General, the New York Police Chief to the representative of the fraternal order of police have focused on citizens marching to end police terror instead of the need to improve America’s mental health capacities...."

The fight for justice, however, must be sustained in the face of efforts to undermine and weaken our resolve. African-American communities face overwhelming military and abusive treatment by police officers on a daily basis. However, civil rights organizations value every human life, including police officers. Statements below calling for increased activism and sustained actions by human rights and anti-police terror organizations reflect our commitment to this struggle:

Washington, DC: The Hands Up Coalition DC joins in solidarity with #BlackLivesMatter and Ferguson Action in expressing our condolence to the families of the two police officers killed in New York by Ismaaiyl Brinsley, 28. We also extend our sympathy to the family of Shaneka Nicole Thompson, 29, who was reportedly also shot by Brinsley in the abdomen with a 9mm semiautomatic handgun at her residence in Baltimore, Maryland before he travelled to New York. Thompson is listed in critical but stable condition at a hospital in Maryland.

Mr. Brinsley attacked three people on December 20th and previous to those attacks had attempted suicide. Apparently, he was suffering from mental illness.

Unfortunately, political spokesmen ranging from the president, Attorney General, the New York Police Chief to the representative of the fraternal order of police have focused on citizens marching to end police terror instead of the need to improve America’s mental health capacities. These politicians have seized the opportunity to undermine courageous anti-police terror campaigns against black boys and men across this country. But we must never forget why we march. We march in the name of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Vonderitt Myers, Sean Bell, John Crawford, III and countless others who were assassinated by police with impunity.

There can be no correlation between the actions of a mentally challenged individual and the courageous demonstration of a new generation determined to end police terror and thus the destruction of the Black community. Political arguments attempting to link incongruent events is disingenuous and fallacious.

It is the goal and mission of political forces antithetical to the movement to end police terror to distract and attempt to deprive our movement of political oxygen.

We must not allow that to happen. #

New York, NY - Ferguson Action, the wide coalition first conceived in Ferguson, MO and recently responsible for the series of highly organized responses to police killings and abuses nation-wide has issued the following statement in response to the murder of two NYPD officers in Brooklyn earlier today:

“We are shocked and saddened by the news of two NYPD officers killed today in Brooklyn. We mourned with the families of Eric Garner and Mike Brown who experienced unspeakable loss, and similarly our hearts go out to the families of these officers who are now experiencing that same grief. They deserve all of our prayers.

“Unfortunately, there have been attempts to draw misleading connections between this movement and today’s tragic events. Millions have stood together in acts of non-violent civil disobedience, one of the cornerstones of our democracy. It is irresponsible to draw connections between this movement and the actions of a troubled man who took the lives of these officers and attempted to take the life of his ex-partner, before ultimately taking his own. Today’s events are a tragedy in their own right. To conflate them with the brave activism of millions of people across the country is nothing short of cheap political punditry.

“Elected officials and law enforcement leaders must not allow this narrative to continue, as it only serves to heighten tensions at a time when the families of those killed are in mourning.

“We stand with the families in mourning, we stand united against senseless killings, and we stand for a justice system that works for all.” #

#BlackLives Matter Issues Response to Murder of Two NYPD Officers

New York, NY - #BlackLivesMatter, a national grassroots and social media driven movement at the heart of much of the recent mobilizations against police violence has issued the following statement in response to today’s murders of two NYPD officers:

“Our hearts grieve with New York, a community already reeling from the losses of Eric Garner, Ramarley Graham, Kimani Gray, Akai Gurley, Islan Nettles and many more. An eye for an eye is not our vision of justice, and we who have taken to the streets seeking justice and liberation know that we need deep transformation to correct the larger institutional problems of racial profiling, abuse, and violence.

“We know all too well the pain and the trauma that follows the senseless loss of our family members and loved ones. We extend our hearts and prayers to the families of those who lost their loved ones this week. No one should suffer the loss of those whom they love.

“At the heart of our movement work is a deep and profound love for our people, and we are rooted in the belief that Black people in the U.S. must reassert our right to live be well in a country where our lives have been deemed valueless. Together, we champion a complete transformation of the ways we see and relate to one another.

“Now is our moment to advance a dramatic overhaul of policing practices. Now is the time to direct more resources into community mental health services and practices. Now is a moment for empathy and deep listening. Now is the time to end violence against women and trans people. Now is our moment to come together to end state violence.

“Our movement, grown from the love for our people and for all people, will continue to advance our vision of justice for all of us. Let’s hold each other close as we work together to end violence in our communities—once and for all.”

#BlackLivesMatter is an ideological and political intervention in a world where Black lives are systematically and intentionally targeted for demise. It is an affirmation of Black folks’ contributions to this society, our humanity, and our resilience in the face of deadly oppression. #

Dr. Marsha Coleman-Adebayo is the author of No FEAR: A Whistleblowers Triumph over Corruption and Retaliation at the EPA, that is available through amazon.com. Dr. Coleman-Adebayo worked at the EPA for 18 years and blew the whistle on a US multinational corporation that endangered vanadium mine workers. Marsha's successful lawsuit led to the introduction and passage of the first civil rights and whistleblower law of the 21st century: the Notification of Federal Employees Anti-discrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002 (No FEAR Act). She is Director of Transparency and Accountability for the Green Shadow Cabinet, serves on the Advisory Board of ExposeFacts.com., and coordinates the DC-based Hands-Up Coalition (www.handsupcoalitiondc.com) Contact Marsha at: MarshaCAdebayo@blackagendareport.com and www.marshacoleman-adebayo.com

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